A Study of Behavior Management for a Patient with Difficulty in Cooperating with Dental Treatment in Our Clinic

Abstract

We often use behavior management in order to provide the most suitable medical care for patients with difficulty in cooperating with dental treatment. This behavior management includes the psychological approach, neurophysiological approach, and pharmacologic approach. In this study, we investigated the behavior management of patients with difficulty in cooperating with dental treatment for the past 7 years in our clinic. The most number of patients had autistic spectrum disorders, followed in order by dental phobia, mental retardation, cerebral palsy, Down’s syndrome, and gagging reflex. Regarding choice of behavior management, when aggression toward dental treatment was low, we chose the psychological approach or neurophysiological approach, but when aggression was high, we chose the pharmacological approach. Furthermore, we tended to choose general anesthesia if the treatment regimen was extensive. Based upon the foregoing, it is considered that a system of providing various types of behavior management depending on the patient’s state and treatment regimen is necessary for patients with difficulty in cooperating with dental treatment.